Luna

Luna

WOLFDOG

Luna once belonged to “breeding stock” owned by a woman who sold wolfdog pups out of her back yard. When she was arrested and sentenced to jail in early 2012 for drug related charges, she had signed them over to her son, who stopped caring for them. Several were shot by neighbors who feared loose “wolves.” Eventually, the animals were surrendered to the local shelter. A Shy Wolf Sanctuary volunteer made the several-hour drive to inspect the animals. Most of them were mixed Northern breed dogs, the kind often used to achieve a wolf-like look. In the last cage was Luna. Emaciated and despondent, her unfortunate circumstances still couldn’t camouflage her elegant wolf features. She was, indeed, a wolfdog.

A kind kennel owner offered to shelter her; however, within two days Luna had already destroyed two kennel runs and needed to be relocated. So Luna was picked up and transported to Newberry for a vet examination. Despite being transported using two leashes & collars, she escaped just before entering the veterinarian’s office. In a split second she was just a white flash into deep green woods.

For four days a small troop of dedicated animal rescue volunteers tried to catch her. Luna was impossible to get close to, could jump 5 foot fences from a standstill, and managed to chew her way out of a 9-gauge kennel. During these escapades, she kept herself fed by killing rural chickens, but they were not the only casualties of her appetite. Luna also killed the much-loved Sheriff Department’s mascot, a huge, friendly turkey named Jeff. Saving grace came in the form of fried chicken; something most Southerners will not find too hard to believe. The Shy Wolf Sanctuary volunteer, not knowing what else to try, purchased $100 of fried chicken, deboned it, and made trails of it through the woods leading to the “chicken jackpot” inside an Alachua County Animal Services trap where she was finally trapped. Luna was then transported to Shy Wolf Sanctuary.

Luna and Yiska

After a quick introduction at the sanctuary, she was moved to a foster home in order to be reunited with two other members of herpack. As soon as Luna stepped foot in the yard, they broke out in rapt howls of greeting. Yiska and Luna were happily paired and loved at Shy Wolf Sanctuary until Yiska’s sudden passing in October 2016. Deanna Deppen said in her 15 years of rescue, never has she seen a love between a bonded pair that compared to Yiska and Luna. Numerous males have been introduced to Luna and rejecting them all, she remains alone and seems quite content that no other animal will take her beloved Yiska’s place.